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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28956333">Tar &amp; Feathers</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/yeska_noka/pseuds/yeska_noka'>yeska_noka</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>7 MEN 侍 | 7 MEN Samurai (Band), HiHi Jets (Band), Johnny's Entertainment, Johnny's Jr.</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Angels &amp; Demons, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 05:54:26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,004</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28956333</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/yeska_noka/pseuds/yeska_noka</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Reia is sent to watch over Hashimoto's Light, and it's the most difficult mission he's ever been given.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hashimoto Ryo/Inoue Mizuki, Inoue Mizuki/Nakamura Reia</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Tar &amp; Feathers</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is AU in the sense that angels and demons exist, but otherwise is "canon" in that all of the guys are in Johnnys and in their respective groups, etc.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Reia is a Protector. He’s been working on Earth for centuries, and one might mistake him for a guardian angel, but that’s not what he is. He’s not here to watch over individuals for their own sake; he’s here to watch over the world and protect it from the forces of darkness that threaten its existence. Different from the Battle Angels, Reia doesn’t fight the demons directly. He works with humanity, guiding them in the direction of Light so that the Darkness can’t make use of them. It’s his job to help keep the balance. </p><p>His current assignment is an individual, though. Reia’s been watching over Hashimoto Ryo since he was young. As soon as the child was old enough to experience complex emotions, his light steadily strengthened, growing into a beacon of brightness as he matured. Even from a young age, his empathy, compassion, and generosity stood out among humanity, and a light that bright is a powerful draw for the darkness. Like moths to a flame, the demons will come, and it’s Reia’s job to be ready. </p><p>The older Hashimoto gets, the brighter his light grows, and the stronger the danger. When he joins Johnny’s, Reia follows him. He positions himself close to Hashimoto, but not too close. Enough to have reason to be in his life, to talk to him, to advise him, but not so close as to inadvertently guide the course of his life; Hashimoto needs to be free to make his own decisions. Reia watches, and waits.</p><p>But so far, Reia has yet to see any threat. Hashimoto makes it to ten, to twelve, to fourteen, and there’s no sign of lurking evil. Reia wonders if the attack will be swift and sudden one day, and what he can possibly do to prepare for it. He imagines all the various temptations the demons could throw at Hashimoto, but he also doesn’t see Hashimoto falling prey to any of them. He experiences the full range of human emotions, but his heart is so pure that even his anger comes from a well of goodness - angry at himself for not being good enough, at others for treating people poorly, at the world for being so very unfair to the people he loves. There’s no darkness there for the demons to draw out. </p><p>It’s only when Hashimoto is sixteen that Reia suddenly and finally realizes the full extent of the danger he’s in. </p><p>Mizuki has positioned himself so much more closely than Reia. He’s insinuated himself into Hashimoto’s life so intimately that when Reia realizes what Mizuki is, he nearly gives up in despair and discorporates on the spot. Because he’s known Mizuki for years - he’s <i>liked</i> Mizuki for years, a good friend in this human life Reia’s created for himself - and the fact that he never once suspected him is a testament to Mizuki’s powers and skills. Very, very few demons could go unnoticed for so long under Reia’s watch. It’s terrifying. </p><p>And even more terrifying is the fact that Mizuki is playing the long game. He must have had a million chances over the years to corrupt Hashimoto. How many times could he have forced him to anger? How many times could he have kindled jealousy? How many times could he have urged him to greed? But Hashimoto’s light shines as pure and bright as ever, and Reia doesn’t know what Mizuki is planning. Has he tried repeatedly and failed? Or does he have something else in mind? </p><p>Reia can’t get too close, can’t let Mizuki suspect anything, and Reia worries. Hashimoto is strong, he knows, but Mizuki has made himself one of his weaknesses. And Reia has no idea what to do about that. </p><p>It takes another two years of careful, fearful watching for Reia to work out Mizuki’s goals. And he trembles when he understands, because Mizuki is using all of Hashimoto’s light against him, and how can Reia fight that?</p><p>Mizuki <i>loves</i> Hashimoto, inasmuch as his human form can, and he garners Hashimoto’s love in return. And that love is the greatest danger of all, because if Mizuki can twist it…</p><p>Hatred born of love is one of the strongest forms of darkness there is. </p><p>Hashimoto’s love for Mizuki is blinding in its intensity, blazing and pure, and if Mizuki can corrupt his love for him into hatred, it will snuff out Hashimoto’s light wholly and completely, leaving their entire corner of the world that much darker, that much more vulnerable to the forces that work against it. Reia can’t let that happen. </p><p>But what can Reia do to stop him? Tell Hashimoto to stop loving Mizuki? Impossible. Seducing him away would be to work against his own purposes, a corruption of Hashimoto’s light in its own right. Try to convince him that Mizuki is… what? Mizuki has played this game so long and so carefully that Reia’s not in any position at all to convince Hashimoto that Mizuki has anything but his best interests at heart. </p><p>Reia thinks and plans and tries to get closer, but the life he’s created for himself isn’t conducive to trying anything, and he doesn’t have a clear idea of what to do anyway. Every day, he’s afraid that Mizuki will make his move and Reia won’t be there to stop him, and every day, he’s no closer to finding any answers that will help to protect Hashimoto. He can’t make his light any brighter than it already is. </p><p>His only other recourse is to go after Mizuki. But Reia can’t fight; he’s not a Battle Angel, and if he goes up against a demon directly, he’s certain to lose. He doesn’t have the cunning to trick Mizuki in any way, either. Angels aren’t deceitful or manipulative and Reia can’t fight darkness with darkness. He only has his own light…</p><p>...and his own love. Because he loves Mizuki. </p><p>It’s been ten years that they’ve lived these human lives together, and there’s a truth to them that they can’t ignore. Before he recognized Mizuki for who he is, Reia loved him, a friend and a close confidant for his human self. And even when he understood Mizuki’s true nature, even as his angelic soul agonized over the pain of it, his human form still loved Mizuki’s, for that was the truth they’d created. He’ll never convince Mizuki to change his demonic nature, but there’s one way that he might be able to defeat him. And Reia can use his love, and the honesty of it, without deception and without lies, to get as close to Mizuki as he needs to. </p><p>Seducing Mizuki is easy. Although his human self is devoted to Hashimoto, in love as only humans can be, his dark nature leaves him susceptible to the temptations of lust and duplicity. Reia has to be careful; it goes against the nature of the human self he’s created to betray the friendships he’s made, and if Mizuki realizes that, it could give him away. But fortunately, he’s also inadvertently developed a much closer relationship with Mizuki himself than with Hashimoto, and it’s just likely enough that he can slip under the radar. </p><p>Boldly going after Mizuki would be too out of character, and so Reia has to take his time, and has to go slowly. Over days and weeks, he carefully, very carefully, plays into a mutual attraction, long ignored but present enough for Reia to light a spark. He keeps the teasing and flirting even more subtle than his human form usually goes for, making sure Mizuki realizes that it’s not their usual game, but a more serious invitation. He makes it clear enough that he’s interested, but the final move has to come from Mizuki himself. His interest and desire need to be true enough, strong enough, or Reia will never be able to get his guard down.</p><p>It takes much longer than Reia would like, but finally, <i>finally</i>, Mizuki breaks. </p><p>He grabs Reia and kisses him, fierce and hot, and Reia lets himself melt into his embrace, giving himself fully to the longing that his human form feels. He’s panting when Mizuki pulls away, and he forces himself to inhabit his body as completely as possible, to hide all sense of his divine presence and be the human he needs to be. Mizuki’s eyes are dark - much darker than any human’s should be - as he whispers his invitation. </p><p>“Come home with me.”</p><p><i>Yes</i>,” Reia breathes in answer, and gives himself over to another fiery kiss. He pushes everything but Mizuki out of his mind. </p><p>Reia starts to have doubts about his plan once he’s in Mizuki’s bed. His human form is entirely susceptible to the arousal and pleasure that Mizuki ignites in him, and it’s a struggle to focus, to not lose himself. He needs to keep enough of a clear head to catch Mizuki in his moment of greatest weakness. But Mizuki is a demon, and he’s designed for this, and he knows just how to kiss Reia and just how to touch him to set his whole body on fire. </p><p>Mizuki drags his mouth down Reia’s neck and Reia arches against him, arousal pooling low and deep inside of him, and he moans softly, too focused on trying to stay aware to worry about controlling his voice. It works to his benefit though, because Mizuki seems to like the way he sounds. </p><p>“Let me hear you, Reia,” he murmurs, and leans up to nibble on the edge of Reia’s ear as he drags his hands down Reia’s body. Reia just twists beneath his touch, too warm and too sensitive, his whole body crying out for more. </p><p>“<i>Mizuki</i>,” he gasps, and he clutches at Mizuki’s shoulder as he kisses his way lower. Goosebumps spread from Mizuki’s touch, dancing in waves along Reia’s skin. Mizuki sucks at his chest, flicking his tongue against the hardening nub of Reia’s nipple, and Reia’s voice escapes him again. He can nearly feel the satisfaction radiating from Mizuki though, so he doesn’t fight it. </p><p>Reia’s almost surprised then when Mizuki prepares him slowly and gently. But he knows he shouldn’t be, because the human part of Mizuki cares for Reia a great deal. There’s a love in his humanity that Mizuki can’t ignore, and it’s that love that Reia needs to set free. He does his best to focus on that as Mizuki pushes inside of him, his nerves singing and his mind threatening to succumb to the ecstasy that washes through him as Mizuki moves. </p><p>It’s so, so good, and Reia wants nothing more than to let himself slip away, to give himself up to the friction and the heat and the sweat and the passion. Mizuki thrusts into him sharp and smooth, holding himself above Reia on his elbows, and Reia just reaches up to cling to him, fingers digging into his shoulder blades as Mizuki takes him higher. He needs Mizuki to stay just like this, and it’s perfect, Reia holding him close as Mizuki moves faster. </p><p>Mizuki reaches down to touch him and Reia shakes his head frantically. </p><p>“<i>Don’t</i>,” he breathes. “Don’t wanna–”</p><p>Mizuki grabs for his hair instead, pulling him into a brief, searing kiss, and then it’s all lips and tongue and not enough air. Reia’s so close as it is, and he moans into Mizuki’s mouth as Mizuki hits him just right, pleasure flaring through him and threatening to pull him under. But he <i>can’t</i>. Reia fights the temptation to give in to it, even as Mizuki fucks him just right, bliss radiating through Reia’s body as he clings to awareness, balancing just on the edge. </p><p>“M-Mizuki, please.” It’s a struggle to get any words out, moans and gasps forced from his throat with every thrust, and it’s nearly impossible to say what he wants to. “Wanna f-feel you, in-inside.”</p><p>Mizuki groans at that, Reia’s name on his lips, and he moves even faster, and Reia focuses…</p><p>And Mizuki comes with a soft cry, pulsing distractingly deep within him, and Reia nearly falls over the edge with him. But the shimmer of Mizuki’s jet black wings finally appears, and Reia shifts his hands to grab them at their base. He has just enough time to see Mizuki’s eyes go wide with shock, and then Reia musters all of his strength, both human and divine, and he <i>pulls</i>.</p><p>Mizuki’s wings come away with a sickeningly wet tear. </p><p>His scream of agony is inhuman, eerie and demonic, nothing a human voice could produce, and he thrashes in Reia’s embrace. Blood pours over Reia’s hands and arms as he struggles to hold him, darker than human blood, black and thick like tar. It runs down Mizuki’s sides and pools beneath Reia’s back, staining the white of his wings, coagulating in sticky, feathery clumps. His hands slip against Mizuki’s skin, but Mizuki’s writhing grows weaker as his demonic powers drain from him along with his blood. His pained cries turn to voiceless whispers as all energy fades, and he slumps on top of Reia, unmoving and silent, and Reia watches as the black feathers of his wings drift up into little wisps of smoke and dissipate, leaving the room dark and deathly still. </p><p>Reia lies there with Mizuki in his arms, and he knows that with this one act of cruelty, he’s sacrificed his divine protection. His wings are in ruins; Mizuki’s blood will never wash out, and Reia will never fly again. Weighed down and wet, it takes well into the night for his feathers to finally follow Mizuki’s, white puffs drifting up toward the ceiling and disappearing forever. Reia waits, and watches, and for the very first time, feels a bitterness and anger that he’s never been capable of feeling before. </p><p>It’s a very human emotion. And it gives him hope. </p><p>It’s a long, long night. But when Mizuki stirs in the morning light, it’s to a room just the same as they’d entered it - wings and feathers and blood all gone, and all of their demonic and angelic powers with them. </p><p>“<i>What have you done</i>?” Mizuki whispers as he looks at Reia, but there’s acceptance in his eyes along with his despair, and Reia knows that he’s won. </p><p>“What I had to,” he answers simply. </p><p>There’s an immense sense of exhaustion and relief that settles around him, dulling everything. Reia’s been fighting in his own way for so long, and now that the battle is over he can finally rest. But he also knows that the exhaustion probably has less to do with the eternal battle and more to do with the fact that humans need sleep and he hasn’t gotten any. </p><p>Mizuki looks disquieted, uncomfortable and awkward in his own bedroom. </p><p>“What are you feeling, Mizuki?” Reia asks softly. He’s already had a few hours to come to terms with some of the new emotions coursing through him, but Mizuki has just awoken.  </p><p>Mizuki looks resigned. “A lot of things,” he tells Reia, although the dark look he gives him makes Reia think that a lot of his feelings aren’t very new. He’s likely angry with Reia, bitter about his loss, just as Reia had felt with the loss of his own wings. But Mizuki’s better equipped to deal with those types of emotions to begin with. It’s the ones that might come later that will be hard for him to process. Reia doesn’t feel the need to warn him. </p><p>He tries to talk to Mizuki, to figure out what they should do now, but Mizuki’s not very communicative, and there’s really not much to talk about anyway. </p><p>There’s no discorporating, there’s no transporting. Reia has no way to leave Mizuki’s house other than on his own two feet, and nowhere to go but work, because he’s not an angel anymore. And Mizuki is not a demon. </p><p>They go to work together. </p><p>It means that Reia gets to see it when Mizuki experiences love for the first time. Hashimoto is already there, and he looks up when they walk in. </p><p>“‘Morning,” he says, a gentle smile for Mizuki, and he almost leaves it at that before he notices that Mizuki isn’t alone. His smile is a little bigger, a little more normal, but real just the same. “Hey, Reia.”</p><p>Reia murmurs a greeting in return, but he’s too taken by the stunned expression on Mizuki’s face. He looks like someone’s punched him in the gut, clutching his chest in shock, and Reia smiles. </p><p>Because Reia knows that the human form Mizuki has created, the human that Mizuki <i>is</i>, has a love for Hashimoto so pure and so strong that it’s unshakeable. And now Mizuki can feel that, in all it’s immeasurable intensity. </p><p>Hashimoto moves toward them, looking worried. </p><p>“Mizuki? Are you okay?”</p><p>“He just had a rough night,” Reia mumbles, an understatement for the ages. Hashimoto looks at him with concern and confusion, but only for a moment, because then Mizuki steps forward and twines his fingers tightly into the front of his shirt. </p><p>“Ryo...”</p><p>The look of awe on Mizuki’s face is beautiful, and Hashimoto may not understand much, but he understands enough. He pulls Mizuki close and kisses him, and as Reia turns to leave, he catches the glint of tears clinging to the lashes of Mizuki’s closed eyes. </p><p>Reia can no longer see Hashimoto’s light, nor anyone’s, but he’s willing to bet that there’s a new one standing right next to him, and he knows that he’s made the right decision.</p><p>And so Mizuki and Reia become the humans they’ve created, and these are the lives they’ll live. Reia still has his memories, but he knows those will fade within days. He’ll be Nakamura Reia, born 1997 in Japan, entirely human, with everything that entails. And he’ll live, and Inoue Mizuki will live, and Hashimoto Ryo will be safe with Mizuki by his side. </p><p>And maybe someday, when these lives are through, all three of them will return to the Light, together.</p>
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